Toyota Testing Smart Cars That Communicate with Each Other

Cars have already learned how to drive themselves courtesy of Google, and now Toyota is testing a technology that will allow automobiles to communicate with one another. Does anyone else see this as a possible premise for a sci-fi movie, one in which tons of steel and metal rise up against mankind? Perhaps Michael Bay can direct the flick.

Lest we get carried away, Toyota isn't grooming vehicles into becoming sentient beings. The idea is to make driving safer by outfitting vehicles with sensors that allow them to send and receive data to transmitters installed on streets, using that information to avoid potential accidents. If a car is about to miss a red light, an electronic voice will alert the driver.

It also works with pedestrians. On Monday, Toyota demonstrated the technology to reporters and showed a pedestrian triggering a beeping sound in the car, the Associated Press reports. A picture of the person appeared on the car's screen in front of the driver.

It could be awhile before this technology manifests itself into everyday driving situations. Toyota said it plans to test the smart car technology on some roads in Japan beginning in 2014. Tests are also planned for the U.S., though Toyota didn't say when or exactly where.